The Calanoa Foundation intends to contribute to the conservation of the biological and cultural diversity of the Amazonian region, supporting the improvement of quality of life and sustainable development of the communities around The Calanoa Natural Reserve.

To contribute to the awareness of environmental issues, the improvement of the quality of education and the quality of life, the Foundation's programs explore creative processes of regional communication, through visual and performing arts, communication design, the production of teaching materials and the support of local schools. Yacaré, a program of rural libraries and a library boat, will provide library and cultural information services and a cinemateque, and will facilitate diverse workshops and cultural events, such as traveling exhibitions, live performances, and workshops in music, puppetry, theater and dance.

Since January 2011, Calanoa has been building a trustful relationship with some of the villages around, in particular with Mocagua and San Martín villages. With the support of Smile Colombia Foundation it supplied the villages schools with uniforms, desks and sports supplies, on-site doctor and medicines.

With the support of Leticia’s Banco de la República Library, it started a book- lending program.

Calanoa has been supplying reading glasses for the elders, sports supplies for the kids, encyclopedias and dictionaries for the school libraries.

Also, is providing guidance on the Mocagua's community council on the definition and fund raising of community projects.

With the generous donation of Rosemary Lear, of Vancouver, Canada, a fund has been established to provide grants for village kids who are taking university studies.

With the donation of a video projector by the University of British Columbia, the Cinemateque began film projections in Mocagua by the end of 2012.

MOCAGUA, SELF-PORTRAIT OF AN AMAZONIAN VILLAGE

The appropriation of photography by the inhabitants of deprived communities is happening in an spontaneous way thanks to the extensive use of camera-incorporated cellphones. People are, more that ever since the invention of photography, exploring in depth their own world. Photography, a window to reality, is as well a mirror of the one who makes the picture. Mocagua, self-portrait of an Amazonian village, intend to boost this process of self-reflection.

A work in progress, 80 kids and 20 adult have so far taken part of it.

This project is based on the concept that with the promotion of art and traditional culture, supported by projects of sustainable management of the forest and river resources, we can contribute in a significant way to the economic wellbeing of a community, to the strengthening of cultural and ethnic identity and to environmental conservation.

It is art for conservation, an experience of public and communal art, painting the houses facades with relevant motives to the families indigenous clans.

This project was possible thanks to the generous support of the ORBIS FOUNDATION, and the donations de Kurt Bayer, Yoana Walschap, Marcela Perasa, as well as the logistic support of Aerosur, Fundación Entropika and Parques Nacionales.

By invitation of the Biblioteca del Banco de la República in Leticia, and the director of the Museo Etnográfico, Dra. Carolina Herrera, Marlene and Diego Samper directed a mural painting project in a economic-deprived neighbourhood in Leticia, provincial capital of Amazonas province, Colombia.